Commflagging

This is the process by which MythTV detects commercial breaks in recorded shows and marks jump points in the database so that such breaks can be skipped (or later cut out of the recording during transcoding).

Configuration

Commflagging can be configured within the 'General' page of 'Utilities/Setup > Setup > TV settings > General' in mythfrontend.

Commercial skip method: A variety of different methods can be used to detect commercial breaks.

Blank Frame Detection - is used to determine when a programme fades to black (this invariably happens between show segments)

Blank Frame & scene change detection - as above but tries to determine that a large amount of the picture has changed

Scene change detection - tries to determine that a large amount of the picture has changed

Logo detection - looks for a part of the picture that does not change during a recorded show - i.e. an onscreen logo. Logos are usually removed for the duration of commercial breaks, making them 'easier' to spot.

All - use all commercial detection methods at the same time

An additional option - 'Strict Commercial Detection' - tightens up the rules used to detect commercials. This should be disabled if commercials are not being detected & marked.

Setting the 'Run commercial flagger' tickbox under "Default JobQueue settings" enables commflagging by default for all new recording rules on channels which are not set to 'commercial free'.

Usage

Once recordings in MythTV have been flagged for commercials (commflagged), ad-breaks can be skipped.

During playback

The End or Z key (by default) jump to the next commercial break marker. The Home or Q (by default) key will jump back to the previous commercial break marker.

Commercial skipping can be enabled on a show-by-show basis by bringing up the OSD menu during playback and selecting a commercial skipping option. Choices given are:

Off - i.e. do nothing when markers are reached

Notify but do not skip - indicate that a commercial marker has been reached

Skip automatically - skip between markers automatically

As a default option

Within the 'TV playback' section in mythfrontend's setup menus, there is a 'Commercial Skip' settings page.

Here the options for default actions on commercial flagged recordings can be set: